The Route 1 Corridor has experienced considerable growth and increasing traffic congestion during the past two decades. By the year 2020, traffic volumes are expected to increase by as much as 55 percent, vehicle hours of travel will increase by 118 percent and average roadway travel speed will drop by 29 percent. Through public outreach activities it was learned that 80% of respondents said that they would use transit more in the Route 1 corridor if it were quicker, more reliable and comfortable. Presently trips to major employment centers in the corridor are almost entirely made by automobiles. Presently 2% of trips are made on transit. There is limited public transit in the area resulting in scant congestion relief with the exception into and out of Trenton, New Brunswick and Princeton Borough. The Princeton Junction and Hamilton Train Stations are however major stops on the Northeast Corridor.

Project Scope

In 2006 NJ TRANSIT completed alternatives analysis studies that estimated that a bus rapid transit system in the corridor could reduce weekday auto person trips by 11,000 to 12,000 reducing vehicles on a congested road system. The reduction is estimated at 370,000 to 400,000 vehicle miles of travel by auto per weekday with BRT. The BRT system is estimated to transport 31,200 person trips per weekday. The proposed system would include several park and ride lots. The transit share of work trips would more than double from present transit use. The BRT system also has the potential to support smart growth development surrounding BRT station stops. Jobs along the core of the BRT are expected to increase by 40% for a total of 100,000 jobs. The BRT is estimated to increase the percent of work trips using transit from 2 to 4% to 5 to 9% in the core of the study area (West Windsor, Plainsboro, Lawrence, Princeton Township and Princeton Borough).

Current Status

The cost estimate for implementation of the regional BRT system could be in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Considering this, phased implementation of the system is being investigated. Work is underway examining near term ridership potential for segments of the BRT system to identify the services and improvements to advance toward implementation initially.